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Soviet cuisine was almost entirely invented by Stalin’s commissar Anastas Mikoyan. It remains standard fare for most Russians today.

Nostalgia for Soviet days has become very popular recently, even among those who never experienced them. But the Soviet era never really went away. Its symbolism, traditions, social politics, education system, health-care network and cultural legacy have become part of life in modern Russia.

Passing enthusiasm for Nineties imported foodstuffs in glitzy packaging has given way to the taste of childhood memories and comfort foods. Many goods brought back from the Soviet era give foreign competitors a run for their money in supermarkets and shops: Alenka milk chocolate bars; 48-kopek vanilla ice-cream; Stolichnaya wheat-grain vodka; Moskovskaya vodka; Vologda butter; Doctorskaya boiled sausage, and many more.

Experts estimate that there are about 3,000 former Soviet brands selling well today, and their numbers are set to grow.

Some foods have been repackaged while Soviet-style packaging is part of the appeal in others. Soviet pelmeni (dumplings consisting of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough) are still sold in their dreary cardboard boxes, and sweetened condensed milk still comes in blue-striped 9oz cans.

Soviet-era foods are becoming a benchmark for forgotten quality and natural flavours, especially in medium-sized and smaller towns. Consumers fondly recall the Soviet quality mark, Gost, on food packaging and complain that there is no equivalent system today.

Frankfurters and salami-style sausages are still produced for the domestic market at the Soviet-era plants of Mikoyan and Ostankino.

Porridges are made of buckwheat, oats, and millet; wheat-grain porridge can be made with milk or butter; open sandwiches are enjoyed with cheese or slices of sausage; eggs are boiled or fried, or served as omelettes.

A midday, three-course lunch is preferred: a cold starter, then a hearty soup, such as cabbage or borscht and meat or fish served with potato, pasta or rice, followed by tea or fruit compote.

Favourite Soviet recipes include macaroni po flotski: chunky macaroni dressed with minced meat and fried onions. Soviet rissoles are often seen on menus; they are more like an American hamburger than their European equivalents. This is because trade commissar Anastas Mikoyan, the father of mass catering in the Soviet Union, was so impressed by hamburgers during his visit to the United States that he decided to produce something similar on his return.

He also introduced Soviet goulash: stewed meat in a tomato sauce served with boiled buckwheat.

Soviet-era hors d’oeuvres such as dressed herring are still popular: chunks of herring fillet mixed in layers, with cooked beetroot, potato and carrot, liberally doused with mayonnaise. Gobies in tomato sauce, along with sprats, are also still widely served. Gobies are a small fish from the Black Sea, while sprats are tradition-ally smoked and canned in oil. Yeast-raised pancakes, which come with many fillings, including meat and cottage cheese, were always popular with Soviet families.

Pelmeni is now produced in nearly all of Russia’s medium-sized and major cities. Experts believe that 80pc of frozen convenience foods in Russia are pelmeni: it’s a bachelor’s favourite.

Finally, home-bottled salted or pickled vegetables have always been the pride of Soviet housewives and remain a staple today – although now they are often bought ready- made from the supermarket.

Soviet traditions are not just popular in rural towns. Even in well-to-do city households, Soviet cuisine – perhaps embellished with a few imported ingredients – still makes up a happily nostalgia-laden table for lunch.

The shortages of food items in the Soviet era, a topic of continual annoyance back then, have now transformed into touching memories – even a source of pride. New myths have recently emerged about Soviet foods: about their health benefits and natural taste; about how simple they were, and how easy they were to obtain.

A new generation of Russians – born on the cusp of the Soviet Union’s demise or shortly thereafter – is very happy to enjoy these Soviet culinary traditions. Parents can often be heard vying with each other about how their children love this or that Soviet dish, all prepared at home for them.

Younger Russians often ask: “Why didn’t we have this before now? It’s delicious stuff, much nicer than those western dishes and recipes.”